nonplussed 1 of 2

variants also nonplused
as in perplexed
faced with difficulty or uncertainty about what to say, think, or do the self-possessed actress seemed uncharacteristically nonplussed after the director's harsh appraisal of her performance

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

nonplussed

2 of 2

verb

variants also nonplused
past tense of nonplus

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nonplussed
Adjective
The editors do the couple hilariously dirty by continuing to roll (PG-13) footage of their rendezvous in a split screen as Barbie and Kyle each offer their nonplussed commentary. Molly Fitzpatrick, Vulture, 12 Feb. 2024 As the knives come out, DP Balthazar Lab gazes across variously flushed or nonplussed faces, lit by candlelight that becomes progressively less cozy with each passing minute. Guy Lodge, Variety, 25 Mar. 2024 Swift seemingly didn't react, sipping her drink and appearing nonplussed. Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2024 And last year, the Russians demonstrated a humanoid military robot to a seemingly nonplussed Vladimir Putin. Erico Guizzoevan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 31 May 2016 See all Example Sentences for nonplussed 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonplussed
Adjective
  • Merriman was also among those who were left perplexed by the production’s quality.
    Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 18 Nov. 2024
  • However, this is our third season interacting with Jacqueline in some capacity, and I am left more perplexed than ever about her function on this show and relationship with Mia.
    Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • In this day and age, where 4K is normal, even HD is considered blurry; however, the decision to shoot with the prosumer camcorder at a resolution of 480 on to MiniDV paid off, and Murphy’s bewildered walk through Westminster is still genuinely iconic.
    Carlton Reid, WIRED, 19 Sep. 2024
  • There this brilliant but bewildered scientist gets cornered by a plutocrat with impertinent questions.
    Alan Scherstuhl, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Censoring Ulysses In reviewing the UK Home Office files on James Joyce's Ulysses, a historian found baffled officials afraid to bring more attention to it.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
  • Sharon starts with small selfless acts, much to the baffled chagrin of Michelle’s grieving widower father, Ed (Alan Ritchson), cutting hair for a charity fundraiser, organizing the family’s mounting bills and babysitting Michelle and her slightly older sister, Ashley (Skywalker Hughes).
    Courtney Howard, Variety, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
  • The Myth of Being Busy In the modern workplace, there’s a troubling trend where busyness is confused with productivity.
    Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
  • Each executive pushes their own agenda, leaving teams confused about what really matters and where to focus their efforts.
    Chaitra Vedullapalli, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • The Chicago Bears, one week after a brutal Hail Mary loss to the Washington Commanders, were embarrassed by the Arizona Cardinals (5-4) in a 29-9 defeat.
    Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Phan said in addition to feeling embarrassed by all of the applause, Wudtke was shocked.
    Stephanie Gallman Jordan, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • From Donna Moss on The West Wing, who exists at times to be an audience surrogate to whom other characters can explain complex things, to MacKenzie McHale on The Newsroom, an accomplished war journalist who apparently gets flustered using her email, the women in his scripts are rarely well rounded.
    Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
  • Swarms of Kodak-wielding shutterbugs descended on American cities, thrusting their lenses in front of flustered strangers.
    Ben Tarnoff, The New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near nonplussed

Cite this Entry

“Nonplussed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonplussed. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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